State Rep. Hope moving to pass law that allows schools to display — "In God We Trust

Heath Hixson

Published 6:00 pm, Sunday, December 22, 2002

A Montgomery County state lawmaker pre-filed a plan in the state Legislature to allow public schools to place the national motto "In God We Trust" on walls of classrooms, auditoriums and cafeterias.

State Representative Ruben Hope, R-Conroe, proposed a measure that simply amends the state's education code and says schools "may display the United States national motto" inside a framed poster on walls inside public school buildings. Currently, schools and other public buildings are not prohibited from posting the phrase, but officials in those agencies often shy away from such an action due to fear of offending groups, such as organizations proclaiming posting the motto would violate separation of church and state provisions within the U.S. Constitution.

The move by Hope comes after a Montgomery couple — Frank and Mary Ann Williamson — and other area activists have attempted to place similar posters in libraries, post offices and schools across the county. Hope said the couple previously asked him to sponsor the measure. Hope said no laws currently preclude schools from posting the motto, but this proposal would legally give school districts the ability to post the motto, if they choose, without requiring it.

"It is the motto of the United States. Surely that can't hurt for them to put it up," Hope said. "We are a nation that was founded on godly principles. I don't see any particular problem with it."

But separation of church and state activists wholeheartedly oppose the idea of posting the motto inside schools. Members of several groups balked at the proposal when told about it and said it violates the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, others said the plan could result in the discrimination against some people who do not believe in a single deity and claimed Hope is advancing an agenda pushed by religious fundamentalists.

"I am disappointed in Ruben Hope that he would demagogue this issue. And that is what this is," said Charlotte Coffelt, president of the Houston-area chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "People will say, 'What is wrong with it?' But there are patriotic people in the country who don't have a faith commitment, and they have a right to not be consistently reminded by the (Christian) right that they are less than patriotic. I just find their motives un-American. And this is coming from a devout Christian."

However, Hope said, the motto represents the ideas that founded the nation. He said he believes placing such on a motto on school walls was appropriate.

Incoming state Representative Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, also said he had no problem with allowing independent school districts to place the motto on walls. Eissler's district encompasses the Magnolia Independent School District. He said placing the motto on walls would not violate rights of those who do not believe in a God.

"I don't have a problem with it," Eissler said. "Should you make God disappear just because there are atheists?"

As expected, Texas atheists don't like the proposal one bit.

"Schools can do it now. It is kind of silly, time-consuming legislation," said Shelly Hattan, American Atheists of Texas state director. "I personally would not like to see it in our schools. Of course, not everybody believes in a God, does not trust in a God. Is it appropriate that this is our national motto? I say no. Why can't it be 'e pluribus Unum?'"

The secular motto "e pluribus Unum," which is Latin for "One from many," or "One from many parts," was the original national motto. But in 1956, during an age of anti-communism, Congress approved "In God We Trust" as the national motto. The motto first appeared on U.S. currency in the late 19th century, according to the U.S. Department of Treasury.

Scholars have argued over whether such a move by Congress was an attempt to show a difference from communism, which is atheistic in principle, and capitalistic democratic nations, such as the United States, which is predominantly Christian. Christian groups claim it represents the principles that the United States was founded on.

Nonetheless, some schools in the county, which were previously approached by the Williamsons and asked to put the posters on walls, accepted the posters. But they did not place them on the walls due to policies restricting such requests by activists.

"We reserve our hallways and classrooms, and we do not put anything on them," said Todd Stevens, Magnolia Independent School District assistant superintendent. "Our hallways and classrooms are not a place for forums. We reserve the right to make those decisions. We just have to be careful of that, and our policy says we don't do that."

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Stevens said he thought a few schools in the district accepted the posters, but they were placed in areas designated for requests, such as the one by the Williamsons. But he did say if the state approved placing the motto on the wall, the district would consider taking such an action.